


Each Familiar Bough  by Celeborn

by Peregrin_Ionad



Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-08
Updated: 2011-11-08
Packaged: 2017-10-25 20:37:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/274539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peregrin_Ionad/pseuds/Peregrin_Ionad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Celeborn makes his way across the sea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Each Familiar Bough  by Celeborn

**Author's Note:**

> b2mem 2010 Week One: Rivendell - What are defining traits in a friend? Intelligence? Good humor? Integrity? Write a story, poem or create an artwork where a new friendship is built or old friends meet after a long time.

_He takes one last journey, rides slowly down well trod paths, and caresses each familiar bough as if it were a brother returned. His land may be empty of Elvenkind, but the birds still sing and the trees bloom as they have every year. The elanor and niphredel are in full blossom at his feet.  
“May your doom be other than mine” he recalls his words well, although Aragorn and Arwen are, these past few years, lying in the deep sleep of the dead._

He walked through Fangorn forest, following the Entwash back to its source, to Wellinghall, to meet one final time with the guardian of this forest. He made good time and reached there before the sun set. He greeted Treebeard with many a fair word although the Ent seemed to have already guessed the reason of his visit.

"Hoom" The Ent broke the silence "So we do meet again, Celeborn the Wise. But not all together, as we were those many years ago."

Celeborn frowned "I spoke not out of wisdom then, but out of blind hope. I was a fool to suppose I could change her mind or heart."

"Hmmmm. It is said love makes fools of us all. Not that I have much experience of it. Not since we, hmmm, lost the Ent-wives."

"I did not come to discuss love or loss; they say people come to grief here, I want no more grief than already fills my heart." Celeborn sighed, " But we are much alike, you and I, Fangorn. We have both lost that which we treasured above all, and," he smiled gently "we have each warned travellers away from the other"

They stood in silent contemplation then, the Elf-lord and the Tree-herder, one leaning gracefully against the moss-laden trunk of an elderly oak, the other straight and stiff, towering far above the forest floor.

 _The ages may past and the forests may fade to simple woods and the Ents will still remain, but I cannot. I must follow my heart, west as the sun rises, as the rivers flow, as the tide pulls.  
I shall take a ship, should one remain upon this shore, and let the Valar guide me to her._

"I love her still, far more than she ever realised. Loving her is like loving the sun, the moon and the stars. She is as beautiful, and just as unattainable. But she could have had anyone, far more important than a Prince of Dorinth, yet she chose me" Celeborn smiled softly. "My Grandsons are leaving, my Granddaughter is passed from this world and my realm is empty, save for the trees. Only Thranduil remains, and I doubt even his stubbornness will keep him here long, now his son sails."

 _The wind pushes the sails full, yet there is no sign of it upon the water bar the small swells which break around the prow. He stands at the helm, illuminated by the setting sun. His silver hair is burnished gold by the fading light so it matches her's. She is alone upon the jetty, cloak caught by a gentle breeze and his heart swells with a joy he has not felt in so many years. He hears her voice in his mind, welcoming him home and knows they have no need for spoken words._

The Ent sighed slowly “So you have at left Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin for the last time. Hmmm. Do not worry. We Ents shall never let the forest fall into darkness. Whilst the world was young the Entmoot sat long in consul, and now the old ways are fading we shall protect the forests as we always have done.”

  


  


  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

  


This story archived at <http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/b2mem2010/viewstory.php?sid=25>  



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